Mini-Meltdowns

Last night, Mike sent Hannah into my bedroom to take her medicine. She came in crying, saying she didn't understand why she had to take medicine and none of her friends did, etc. I hugged her and told her that I understood why she feels that way, but she still had to take the meds. I explained that a part of her brain didn't work right and the medicine makes it work the way it is supposed to. At first it seemed like she was going to take it, but all of a sudden her mood switched from sobbing to anger and she started yelling at me and refusing to take the medicine. She then left the room without taking it, even though I told her that if she didn't take it last night, she would be grounded today.

So this morning she came in my room and asked if she could go to her friend's house. I said, no because you are grounded today because you didn't take your medicine last night. For the next 15 minutes, she cried, screamed, and basically bugged me over and over to let her go out. She threatened to break my leg and I thought she was going to get violent, but the most she did was gently push my good leg. I could tell she wanted to kick me, but controlled herself, which is a great thing. She finally calmed down a bit and I told her that if she took a small portion of her meds and didn't tantrum for the rest of the day, she could go out for two hours at 4:00. She agreed, took the meds with no problem and went on her way. I don't ever like to shorten a consequence, but Hannah has a very warped sense of time and a whole day seems like several days to her, so I think making her stay in until 4:00 is enough to make her reconsider not taking meds at night. I did tell her that if she refuses the meds again, the grounding would not be shortened for any reason.

I'm sure the mood swings were caused by me because I told her she didn't have to take her meds last Saturday night because she went to a sleepover with all the girls from the neighborhood and I know it embarrasses her to take meds in front of them and they ask all sorts of questions. She can't take them before the sleepover because she can't stay awake for than 20 minutes or so after she takes them. It's amazing how not taking them just one day makes such a difference. Well, looking on the bright side, at least I know the meds are really working!